1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ceiling tile supports and, more particularly, to supports for ceiling tile sections to be fit along a wall.
2. General Background
In the installation of suspended ceilings, runners are attached to the walls at the desired height. Cross supports are then hung and interconnect with each other and the runners along the walls to form rectangles or squares of a pre-determined size equal to the ceiling titles to be installed. The wall runners are typically L-shaped, while the cross supports form an inverted T-shape, but each side of the cross support presents an L-shape. The tiles are provided with beveled or, preferably, non-bevelled, but notched edges on all four (4) sides in an L-shape which is substantially the mirror image of the runners to allow mating of the tile section edge to the runner. The depth of the non bevelled but notched edge is sized so that when hung on the runner and cross supports, the bottom side of the tile extends a pre-determined distance below the bottom edge of the runner. This presents a level surface of tiles without revealing the notched edges which support the tiles and also provides for quick and easy installation once the runners are installed. However, since room dimensions rarely match that of the tiles being installed, it is often necessary to cut the tiles to special or "odd" sizes to fit along at least one or two walls. This necessitates cutting off at least one side of the tile with the pre-formed notched edge. As the beveled edge must be a specific width and depth to provide proper support and fit, a means of cutting a new notched edge or, alternatively a different type of support is needed.
Various types of supports and fateners known include the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,063 issued to Berow discloses a sliding joint clamp adapted to be positioned between the abutting ends of wooden siding, as used on a dwelling house, for securing the abutting ends of the siding in end-to-end alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,634 issued to Fleischmann discloses metal fastening means for joining new sheets of heat and sound insulating building materials together at their edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,180 issued to Vissing, et al. discloses a device for fastening wood or plastic wall and ceiling coverings to walls or ceilings without nailing through and thereby damaging the covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,616 issued to Zanella discloses a concrete form board holder to hold the boards edge-to-edge comprising a plane plate at each end of which is provided a set of lugs disposed to form a Z end-contour.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,084,544 issued to Wilson discloses a fastener for securing a wall board of sheet material to structural beams or studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,200,649 issued to Wardle discloses a clip for the anchorage of artificial siding to a wall with one side of the clip adapted to be secured to the wall and the other overlapping the tongue portion of the siding and penetrating adjacent siding sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,258,574 issued to Leary discloses a clip for wall construction with a web having a pair of flanges extending generally in the same direction at right angles to the plane of the web. One of the flanges bears against the stud and the other laps upon the outer face of the panel to be installed once the clip is nailed into position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,137 issued to Jureit discloses a fastener for attaching wall board to studding wherein the fastener is driven into the studding.
Although the above patents disclose a number of fasteners, none address the problem referred to hereinabove. This presents the need for a tile support section which is inexpensive, safe and easy to use. This is preferable to a special tool for recutting a new notched edge, as such a tool would be bulky, expensive and present another potential device to generate an industrial accident.